Air cleaner



Jan. 22, 1946. v. R. ABRAMS 2,393,303

AIR CLEANER Filed Sept. 19, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

VICTOR p. A BRA M5 BY 0. am? AM A T TORNE Y5 Jan. 22, 1946. v. R. ABRAMS 2,393,303

AIR CLEANER Filed Sept. 19, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

VICTOR R. ABRAMS F 3 .24 BY 9 a. JWWMM ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 22,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR CIEANEB Victor B. Abrams, Rockford, 11L Application September 19, 1944, Serial No. 554,829

8 Claims. (Cl. 188-75) (Granted under the act March 3, 1883,

amended April 80, 1

The invention described herein may be manufeatured and used by or for the Government for overnmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention pertains to a novel cleaner for the purpose of extracting entrained particles from a fluid stream and is a further development of an earlier invention shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 526,625, filed March 15, 1944. The earlier invention consists of an apparatus wherein a portion of the main stream is diverted by reduced pressure, the diverted stream losing its particles by reason of their momentum. The diverted portion is caused to depart from the main stream through openings in the apparatus. These openings are preferably louvered to prevent accumulation of the separated particles within the apparatus and also to guide the diverted portion. It ha been found that an accumulation of particles builds up on the louvers and is eventually picked up by the subsequent diverted stream portions.

The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus operating on the same basic principle and constructed in a manner to avoid such accumulation. In at least one embodiment of the invention, this object is accomplished by forming a venturi within the apparatus and extending a conduit from the throat of the venturi to the region where the separation of the particles ocours. The conduit is so mounted that the reduced pressure therein attracts the separated particles and returns them tothe main stream, while the cleansed diverted portion is permitted to proceed to the point of use. In another form of the invention, the conduit is in the nature of a nozzle extended to the aforementioned louvers and positioned to sweep the louvers continuously by suction. I

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the following description and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an air cleaner in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modification;

Figure 3 is a cross section, partly broken away, on the plane indicated by the line 3-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of another modification, and

Figure 5 is a reduced detail view of an end partition.

The simplest tom of the invention is shown in as 370 O. G. 757) Figure 1. In this case the device includes a hollow airfoil i mounted lengthwise in the stream. The leading edge 2 is closed, and the trailing edge is formed with an opening 3. The dimension of the airfoil across the stream is determined according to the requirements 01' the particular apparatus.

The wall of the airfoil is formed with an opening l at a suitable point, and from this opening is extended a conduit I leading to 9. relatively low pressure source such as the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. r The reduced pressure causes a portion of the main stream to be deflected from its normal course and drawn into the opening 3 and to the port 4 and conduit 5. This portion, which is a small fraction of the entire stream, has been freed of its particle which, by reason of their momentum, have resisted the deflecting force and have continued in their normal direction.

The embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3 is a hollow body i0 01 rectangular cross section disposed'in the stream and having both its leading edgev II and its trailing edge l2 fully open. The dimension of the body transversely of the stream is determined according to the requirements of the apparatus. A pair of plates l2 'are directed inward from opposite edges or the opening ll convergently into the body l0, forming a throat or restriction l3 intermediate the opposite ends of the body. From the throat IS, the plates are continued divergently at it into contact with opposite edges of the opening II. The angle between the plates I2 is 25 degrees or less and between the plates ll about 21 degrees. The latter angle is divided by a pair of vanes l5 into three anglesof approximately 7 degrees each. It is known in the art that the most efllcient angular relation for Venturi action is an angle of about 25 degrees at the incident side and an angle of about '1 degrees on the emergent side of the throat.

Somewhat down stream from the throat It, the sides of. the body ID are formed with substantial openings forming admission ports it through which fluid may be withdrawn from the encompassing stream in a direction transversely of the direction of fluid flow in said stream. Nozzles H are directed from the throat towards these openings and terminate short of the openings. The space between each nozzle and the adjacent openin; ii is bridged by a baille i8 extending from the tip of the nozzle, on the down stream side, to the trailing edge of the corresponding opening. These bellies, together with the nozzles and the The wall 01' the body is formed with an opening 22 at the chamber l9, and from this opening a conduit 23 is extended to the point of use, such as the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, in which there exists a pressure less than that of the stream outside the body It. The reduced pressure diverts a relatively small portion of the main stream into the openings l6 and to the conduit 23. In being so deflected, the diverted portion is freed or a large percentage of entrained particles by the phenomenon described in connection with Figure l.

The diverted stream tends to deposit particles on the bailies l8, as a result oi the change or direction in flowing towards the reduced'pressure opening 22. If the deposit is permitted to accumulate, it will eventually be swept by the diverted stream, and the efliciency oi the separating action will be correspondingly reduced.

The stream of fluid flowing through the venturi formed by the plates 12' and I4 under oes a reduction of pressure at the throat l3 in accordance with well known principles. An aspirator eiiect is thereby produced in the nozzles II, whereby the deposit is drawn oil the baifies l8 and delivered to the stream flowing through the venturi.

In the modification shown in Figure 4, the body 30 has opposed walls 3| of airfoil form on the external side. Adjacent to these walls, on the inward side, are oppositely curved airfoil walls 32 forming a venturi 33 designed to lie lengthwise in the stream. The ends of the walls 32 are spaced at 34 from the ends of the corresponding walls 3i on the down stream end, the openings 34 lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the venturi and forming admission ports through which fluid may be withdrawn from the passing fluid stream in a direction transversely of the direction of fluid flow therein. The venturi is of equal width at both ends in conformity with accepted venturi design.

From each space or part 34 there extends a conduit 35 to the throat 36 of the venturi. The end of each conduit within the corresponding space 34 is spaced from the edges 01' that opening.

The chambers31 formed by each wall 3| and the adjacent wall 32 are interconnected by any suitable construction, such as that shown in Figures 2 and 3, to form in efl'ect a single chamber. An exhaust conduit 38 extends from thecommunicating chambers 31 to a low pressure source such as the intake manifold 01' an internal combustion engine, where the, cleansed portion of the stream is to be used.

In the operation of this device, the low pressure within the chamber 31 causes a portion of the main stream to be diverted into the open ends 34. This portion is substantially free of particles by virtue of the change of direction which has caused the particles to continue in the original path. Whatever particles remain in the diverted stream are, for the most part, separated centrifugally from it towards the exposed ends of the conduits 35. There is a reduction of pressure in the conduits by reason of their communication with the throat 38 of the venturi, so that the particles thrown towards the conduit are drawn therethrough and discharged into the throat 33 and into the main stream.

The several devices disclosed herein are distinguished from whirling or centrifugal separators in that they do not grind the solid particles. A centrifugal separator used as a pre-cleaner in conjunction with an oil-bath has been found to reduce the emciency of the oil-bath by reason of the reduction in the size of the particles. The devices of this invention used in conjunction with an oil-bath, do not decrease the efliciency of the latter.

While speciflc embodiments of the invention have been shown and been described, it will be understood'that' various alterations may be made without departure from the spirit of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A separator for removing particles from a fluid stream comprising an elongated hollow body adapted to be positioned lengthwise in a fluid stream, a venturi therein cooperating with the wall of said body to form a chamber therebetween, the inner walls of said venturi having an airfoil form in longitudinal section, said wall having a port therein for the admission of fluid into said chamber, said chamber having an exhaust port, said venturi having an opening in the throat thereof establishing communication between the venturi and the chamber, and the outer walls of said body having an airfoil section in the same section.

2. A separator for removing particles from a fluid stream comprising an elongated hollow body adapted to be positioned lengthwise in a fluid stream, a venturi therein cooperating with the wall of said body to form a chamber therebetween, said chamber having an exhaust port and an open end at the emission end of said venturi, and

.a conduit having one end mounted in said open end and extending to the throat of said venturi.

3. A separator for removing particles from a fluid-stream comprising a body, a venturi therein spaced from the wall of said body to form a chamber, said chamber having an exhaust port and an intake port adapted to receive by diversion a portion of the stream in which said body and venturi are mounted, whereby particles are separated from said portion by their momentum, and a conduit extending from the region of separation to the throat of said venturi.

4. A separator for removing particles from a fluid stream, comprising inner and outer walls forming a hollow body adapted to be positioned lengthwise in a fluid stream, said inner walls forming a venturi having a throat and cooperatingwith said outer walls to form a chamber therebetween, said chamber having an admission port positioned for withdrawing fluid from the fluid stream transversely of the direction 0! fluid flow therein, said chamber having an exhaust port, and means for withdrawing particles from the immediate proximity of said admission port into the throat of said venturi.

5. A separator for removing particles from a fluid stream, comprising inner and outer walls forming a hollow body adapted to be positioned lengthwise in a fluid stream, said inner walls forming a venturi havingea throat and cooperating with said outer walls to form a chamber therebetween, said chamber having an admission port positioned for withdrawing fluid from the fluid stream transversely of the direction of fluid flow therein, said chamber having an exhaust port, a bailie extending from said admission port into said chamber transversely of the direction of fluid flow in said stream, and means for withdrawing particles from said bai'fle and the immediate proximity of said admission port into the throat of said venturi.

6. A separator for removing particles from a fluid stream, comprising inner and outer walls forming a hollow body adapted to be positioned lengthwise in a fluid stream, said inner walls forming a venturi having a throat and cooperating with said outer walls to form a chamber therebetween, said chamber having an admission port positioned for withdrawing fluid from the fluid stream transversely of the direction of fluid flow therein, said chamber having exhaust port, a bailie extending from the down stream side of said admission port into said chamber toward the throat of said venturi at an acute angle to the direction of fluid flow in said stream, and means for withdrawing particles from said baiiie and the immediate proximity of said'admission port to the throat of said venturi.

7. A separator for removing particles from a fluid stream, comprising inner and outer walls forming a hollow body adapted to be positioned lengthwise in a fluid stream, said inner walls forming a venturi having a throat and cooperatin: with said outer walls to tom a chamber therebetween, said chamber having an admission port positioned for withdrawing fluid from the fluid stream transversely of the direction of fluid flow therein, said chamber having an exhaust port, a baiile extending from the down stream side of said admission port into said chamber toward the throat of said venturi at an acute angle to the direction of fluid flow in said stream, and a nozzle extending from the throat of said veturi to the side of said baiiie facing toward the exhaust port.

8. A separator for removing particles from a fluid stream, comprising inner and outer walls forming a hollow body adapted to be positioned lengthwise in a fluid stream, said inner walls forming a venturi having a throat and cooperating with said outer walls to form a chamber there- 1 between, said chamber having an admission port positioned for withdrawing fluid from the fluid stream transversely of the direction of fluid flow therein, said chamber having an exhaust port, means for withdrawing particles from the immediate proximity of said admission port into the throat of said venturi, and partitions in said venturi on the emission side of said throat dividing the venturi into longitudinally extending passages.

VICTOR R. ABRAMS. 

